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Place beef, bones, onion, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt in large kettle with cold water. Cover, bring to boil, and skim. Then, to save fuel and make for better cooking, lower heat and simmer, covered 4-1/2 hrs. Strain mixture. Remove meat and shred. Return to soup mixture. Then add washed lentils, remaining salt, and pepper, and simmer, covered, 1-1/2 hrs. longer, or until lentils are tender. Serves 4.

I used this basic recipe, but changed it slightly; the more modern recipe is below:

Roast the oxtails in a 350° oven for 3-4 hours (until brown and most of the fat is gone). Then put the roasted oxtails in a soup pot covered with water added 2 stalks of celery, 1 carrot cut in quarters, half the onion, the peppercorns, cloves, ginger and salt and let simmer for 2-3 hours (until the meat is falling off the bone). Remove the meat and place to one side. With a slotted-spoon remove spent vegetables, whole cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaves. (If your stock has a lot of fat, skim it off.) Cut up remaining celery, carrots and the other 1/2 of the onion. Remove meat from the bones. Bring stock to a boil, add the 3/4 lb. chuck cut in tiny pieces, the meat from the soup bones and let simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the lentils. Let simmer until the lentils are nearly soft. Add the vegetables and simmer for another few minutes or until only slightly crunchy.

This makes a delicious, hearty soup for any time of the year.